Can opener



Sept. 14 1926. 1,599,765

J. E. HOFFMAN CAN OPENER Original Filed June 1925 Show,

Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOHN E. HOFFMAN, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

CAN OPENER.

Application filed June '22, 1925, Serial No. 38,732. Renewed February 23, 1926.

My invention relates to can openers, and particularly to a device of this character adapted to sever the end of the can,- and the object of the invention isto provide an inexpensive can opener having facility for severing the head of the can with a circular blade.

A further object of the invention is to provide handles provided with pivotally connected telescoping heads, one of which 1s provided with a rotary blade and the other being provided with facilities to cooperate with the blade to sever the head of the can.

I attain these objects and other advantages by means of the mechanism and parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing 111 which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the can opener embodying m invention, and showing the handles close Figure Q 1s a vertical section of the device, on the line 22-1n Figure 1, and showinglthe same in operative position to sever the ead of the can. Figure 3 is a transverse section of the device on the line 3-3, in Figure 1, and showing the shell formation of the handles and heads of the same and the telescoping heads, and Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device, and showing the same about to clamp the cam to sever its head.

Similar numerals of reference refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawingsthe numeral 1 designates .a can opener constructed. in accordance with my invention and comprising a channeled handle 2 provided with a channeled head 3,,a channeled handle 4 having a channeled head 5 adapted to receive the head 3, and a pivot 6 which is extended vertically through the horizontal sides of the heads, at a point therein adapted to allow the heads to telescope and interfit in close relation.

The end portions of the horizontal sides of the head 3 are cut away in curved line, as shown by dotted line in Figure 1.

Adjacent the end corner of the head 5 and in the horizontal sides of the same is journaled a shaft 7 which is provided at its upper end with a shoulder 8 and a handle 9 and, at its lower end provided with a knurled roller 10. The shaft is held in its bearings by the shoulder 8 and the hub on the roller, as shown in Figure 2. In the horizontal sides of the head 3 is journaled a shaft 12 having on its lower end a circular blade 13 having combined therewith a knurled roller 14 adapted to cooperate with the roller 10 to clamp the rim 15 of a can 16 between them to thereby impart motion to the blade when the roller 10 is turned to rotate the .can. The shaft 12 is extended through registering concentric slotted apertures or guides 17 in the horizontal sides of the head 5 and, on the upper end of the shaft is secured a nut 18 to hold the shaft in place.

The handles and their heads are referably made of suitable metal and ormed integral, the handle portions being formed to and the head portions formed rectangular with flat horizontal sides and a flat vertical side, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The structure shown and described assures a strong, light, and inexpensive device for the use intended.

The handles turn on the pivot 6 and thus the interfitting heads 3 and 5 are turned to telescopeeach other and bring the blade into and out of operative position. When a can is to be opened, the rim thereof is engaged on its inner side by the roller 10, as shown in Figure 4, and the handles are then closed by hand to bring the blade into contact with the upper end of the can body, whereupon, pressure on the closed handles will force the blade to out the wall of the body with a shearin motion and penetrate the body, thus brmging the roller 14 to bear on the outer side of the rim of the can in opposition to the bearing of the roller 10 on the inner side of the mm.

The clamping of the rim by the rollers 10 and 14 places the cooperating parts in position to be manually driven to open the can. The pressure of the closed handles is continued and the handle 9 manipulated to drive the roller 10 to advance the can to the blade and, at the same time, to impart a rotary motion to the blade by means of the advancing rim of the can forcing the roller 14 to turn. The roller 10 turns the can, the rim of the can turns the roller 14 and the blade. The shaft of the blade being journaled in the inner head and extending through the guiding slots in the outer head, the blade is carried through the arc of a circle relative to-the ivot 6 and at a tangent to the periphery of. t e roller 10. This motion allows the blade to make a clean out have a concaved channel, as shown at 19,

I handle 5 claim is A can opener, comprising two handle members having pivotally connected telescoping heads, an advancing roller journaled in the outer one of the heads on said members, registering concentric guiding slots apertured in the horizontal sides of the outer one of the heads on said handle members, a shaft journaled in the horizontal sides of the inner one of the heads on said handle members and projected through said slots, a circular blade mounted on the lower end of said shaft, a roller C0111- bined With said blade in opposed relation to said advancing roller, and means for revolving said advancing roller to rotate the can to 20 thereby rotate said blade to sever the can.

Dated Chicago, 111., June 16, 19:25.

JOHN E. HOFFMAN. 

